1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an athletic shoe and, in particular, to the sensing and indicating of contact between a shoe and the ground.
2. Related Art
In some sports, it is desirable to know the positioning of a shoe relative to the ground. In race-walking, for example, the rules require that competitors always have one foot in contact with the ground. If both feet are off the ground at any time, the motion is considered to be running and the competitor is subject to disqualification.
Visual observation is used by competition officials, but this is very unsatisfactory. A walker can make four or more strides in a second and therefore observation is very subjective and liable to dispute. In other sports, it could be useful to know when contact between a foot and the ground initiated or ceased.